 |
| GIPHY |
Gift-buying is an experience many enjoy; the pride in finding a gift that your Aunt Mary will just love, planning your gift-wrapping theme for the year, organising, budgeting (then inevitably breaking your budget because it's fine! it's Christmas!) and seeing your loved ones hopefully-delighted reaction when opening the gift when the big day arrives.
Buying presents for those who you care about is a chance to show appreciation and spread that sweet sweet Christmas cheer - however like most things in life, it doesn't come without it's stresses, struggles and hiccups...
Firstly, you may be stuck with who to buy for, and if your bank account agrees with that number. If you're fantastically organised and called up that Park company who's advert appears this time every year (I'm still not completely sure what it is to be honest, that one with the fairy...anyone?), then you'll have saved throughout the year and a nice little sum of money ready to dig into when you spot that perfect gift in the shops.
If you're less organised, you may be in the same boat as me which entails digging into Novembers and Decembers paycheck to cover everything. This could mean missing out on your monthly unnecessary-but-completely-worth-it ASOS order and spending that money on a gift for your mate who 100% deserves one instead; but that's all part of spreading that Christmas cheer and love, right?
The next obstacle is the tricky one of who makes your 'to buy for' list. Firstly consider, obviously, who you're close with, who you want to give a gift to and who you'll definitely be seeing over the festive season. My best guess is that immediate family and a couple of your best-friends fall into that category.
If you have a large friendship circle which is close, here comes the question of who's buying for who. If you knew you'd face this issue and knew you'd want to buy every member of your friendship group a gift, you've probably budgeted throughout the year so you can do so; in which case, go ahead.
However, if budgets are tight for all of you and the only realistic way of buying for everyone would be to split a box of Celebrations and wrap them separately - like Nessa and Dave do in Gavin & Stacey - then you'll have to have that inevitable conversation starting with 'what we doing about presents this year?'
A popular option to juggle budgets and gift-buying is the famous Secret Santa. This method means everyone gets to buy a gift, and everyone receives a gift, and the 'who's buying for who' bit is kept secret until the gift exchange. A budget is normally set, or there's a creative twist like gifts must be hand-made, or starting with the first letter of the participants name. Secret Santa is normally a winner; the only hiccups you could face is that the 'Secret' could get out, half ruining the fun, or you get someone you're less close with meaning gift-buying is a little trickier - but that adds to the challenge, right?
If gift-buying isn't discussed within a family or friendship group, drama, offence and awkwardness could occur. One or two people may not receive a gift or someone may not realise they were receiving an expensive gift from the person they only bought novelty socks for.; that sort of disaster.
Or, get started now before the last-minute rush ensues and shops fill with panicked shoppers who left everything till the last minute.
Write lists, organise, budget and get shopping...is it too early to say 'Merry Christmas'?
No comments:
Post a Comment